Homily for Tuesday of the 23rd Week in Ordinary Time

Rejection is one of the most heartbreaking human experiences, especially if it comes from someone who truly matters to us, one whom we have trusted or loved. Rejection can leave us very angry and bitter or even tempted to retaliate in some way, as James and John wanted to do in today's Gospel.

Jesus knew this from personal experience when He was rejected by the people of the Samaritan village. He was Jewish and heading for Jerusalem; that was enough to make them refuse Him hospitality. If rejection like this was a regular response of Samaritans to Jews, the enraged response of the disciples was probably a typical Jewish response to Samaritans.

How different Jesus' response was to that of His disciples. He rebuked them and went to another village to proclaim the Gospel elsewhere. Jesus was charitable in the face of rejection.

That is His way and should be our way too. Who we are and how we relate to others is not decided by how others may treat us. Rather, who we are, even in the face of rejection, is determined by something much deeper: our relationship with the LORD and our efforts to keep living by His mind and Spirit.